Face-frame press



Dec. 3, 1963 w. HAMMER 3,112,925

FACE-FRAME PRESS Filed Jan. 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. k M Hammer United States Patent 3,112,925 FACE-FRANIE PRESS Waldemar Hammer, 972 Petaluma Hill Road,

Santa Rosa, Calif. Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,631 3Claims. (Cl.26925) This invention relates to presses, and particularly to one designed to be used in connection with the fabricat1on of multiple-piece wooden face-frames of windows, doors, screens, and the like.

It is essential that such frames, when the parts are assembled and secured together, shall have true 90 degree corners, so that the finished frames will be perfectly square or rectangular.

It is therefore the major object of this invention to provide a press for the purpose by means of which the parts of a face-frame, after having been first generally assembled together and with glue applied, may then be lined up and pressed into firm engagement so that the frame in its final finished condition will be of perfectly true rectangular form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press for the purpose which will take a face-frame of any size without any adjustments having to be made, and which includes one or more portable power pressing units which may be disposed at any desired points about the exposed periphery of the face-frame in order to exert the desired pressure thereagainst.

In connection with such pressing units, it is another object of the invention to provide means, incorporated therewith and with the supporting unit for the faceframes, arranged so that a detachable locating and holding connection of any pressing unit on the supporting unit may be easily and quickly made at practically any point on the supporting unit, so that the pressing units may be disposed wherever necessary for proper engagement with any face-frame on said supporting unit.

The pressing units are designed to be operated by compressed air, and a further object of the invention is to arrange the supporting unit so that a supply of compressed air may be carried therein, and to provide means which enables such supply to be quickly and detachably placed in operative connection with any such pressure unit regardless of the location of the latter on the supporting unit.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a faceframe press which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable face-frame press, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the face-frame press, as in operation with a single pressing unit, and foreshortened vertically.

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the press, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section plan of the press, taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a similar view, but showing the pressure cylinder partly in section and as shifted outwardly or forwardly from the supporting frame, with regard to the position occupied by said cylinder in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a rear end View of the pressure cylinder detached from the supporting frame, and partly broken out and in section.

3,112,925- Patented Dec. 3, 1963 Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the press comprises a work-supporting and squaring unit, indicated generally at 1, and which also provides for the detachable support of the work-engaging pressure unit, indicated generally at 2, and which will be described in detail hereinafter.

The unit 1 comprises a rectangular border frame 3 which is constructed in such a manner as to be absolutely rigid. The horizontal and vertical members 4- and 5, respectively, which form such frame are of rectangular and tubular form in cross section, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, and they are rigidly connected together in such a manner as to provide an endless enclosed and pressure-tight chamber 6 therethrough for the purpose which will be seen hereinafter.

The frame 3 is supported from the floor in a generally upright but rearwardly leaning position by means of legs 7 depending from the lower corners thereof to transverse base beams 8 from which diagonal braces 9 extend upwardly to the vertical members 5 of the frame 3 some distance above the legs 7.

Rigidly secured to and extending between the horizontal frame members 4 at the back thereof are vertical bars 10 having ribs 11 projecting back therefrom intermediate their side edges. A T-forrn of the bars is thus provided, which not only gives the rigidity desired, but leaves both side edges of the bars unobstructed throughout their length. These bars 10 are disposed in evenly spaced relation from side to side of the frame 3, and they are engaged on their front faces by horizontal straps 12. These straps are rigidly secured to said bars and to the vertical members 5 of frame 3, and are disposed in evenly spaced relation for the full distance between said members 5; the spacing of the straps being substantially the same as that of the bars 10. u

A grill is thus formed in the frame 3 as part of the unit 1; the side edges of all of the bars 11) and straps 12 being parallel to the inner faces of the vertical and horizontal members 5 and 4, respectively, of the frame 3. The front faces of the straps are smooth and in a common plane throughout their extent, and form a support or backing rest for the work W to be pressed, and which work may be any wooden face-frame, such as that for a door or window, and whose individual parts have been previously mortised and tenoned or doweled, and must be glued or cemented together to provide an absolutely square and rigid frame.

When the work W is placed in the frame 3, one of the uprights of 13 of the work is engaged with the inner face of one of the vertical members 5 of said frame 3, while the bottom rail 14 of the work frame rests on the inner face of the lower horizontal member 4 of frame 3, as clearly shown in FIG. 1. The width of the frame members 4 and 5 in front of the straps 12 is sufficient to provide adequate support for the work frame, as shown in FIG. 2, while the backward tilt or lean of the frame 3 insures that the work will remain in position in the frame 3, and will not tend to tip forward.

The work, when so positioned, is engaged on the side opposite the frame-engaged side by the pressing unit 2, as shown in FIG. 2. This unit comprises a single-acting compressed air cylinder 15 having a piston 16 therein movable between opposed end heads 17 and 18 and normally held retracted by a spring 16a. The piston rod 19 projects through the end head 17, and carries a presser block 20 on its outer or forward end. The end head 18 is provided with finger-operated air intake and exhaust control valves 21 and 22, respectively. These valves are of a conventional type, being actuated by finger pressure exerted in one direction against a spring pressure acting to hold the valves closed.

These valves, which are duplicates of each other, are preferably arranged in parallel side-by-side relation, as shown in PEG. 5, for convenient operation; valve 21 being interposed in an air intake passage 23 in the head 13, while the valve 22 is interposed in an exhaust passage 24 leading from the cylinder 15 to atmosphere. The passage 23 leads to one side of the end head 18, and is there connected to a fitting 25 which is secured to one end of a length of flexible air hose 26. The other end of this hose is adapted to be detachably connected to any one of a number of normally closed quick-coupling valve fittings 27 which project at intervals from the front faces of the frame members 4 and 5; said fittings communicating with the interior chamber 6 of said members. Compressed air is maintained in said chamber by means of a suitably disposed fitting 28 projecting from frame 3, and of course communicating with said chamber, and to which fitting a flexible conduit 29 leading from a source of air pressure is connected.

In order to detachably maintain the cylinder against longitudinal movement on the frame 3 in a direction away from the work and presser block when the latter is being advanced, the head 17 is formed with a laterally projecting rigid claw 36. This claw, at the end which faces away from the outer end of the head 17, is formed with stepped square-cut locating notches 31 and 32 extending thereacross, and facing toward the cylinder 15.

The notch 31 is arranged to engage over the side edge of a bar 14 nearest the work, and which edge faces the work, when the cylinder is disposed between adjacent straps 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The cylinder then rests against adjacent bars, as indicated in FIG. 3. At times, however, it is necessary to place the cylinder so that it overlies a strap 12. To accommodate the claw $0 to such a positioning of the cylinder, said claw is cut out intermediate its opposed edges, as shown at 33, for its full depth and for a width not less than that of a strap 12. By so doing, the claw may straddle any strap 12 so that the cylinder 15 may then rest against the strap; the notch 32, which is the one furthest from the cylinder, then engaging over the edges of a bar 19 on opposite sides of the strap, as shown in FIG. 4.

For convenient manipulation and operation the fitting is disposed on one side of the cylinder unit, and the claw on the opposite side, with the valves 21 and 22 in a plane between the fitting and claw and projecting upwardly when the cylinder is horizontally disposed. t should also be observed that the diameter of the cylinder is sufficiently small to enable it to be grasped and held by one hand, while the length of the piston stroke is greater than the spacing between the adjacent bars 19 or straps 12. Further, the length and height of the frame 3 is considerably greater than the corresponding dimen sions of any piece of work to be handled, or so that there is sufiicient space above or to one side of the Work for the positioning of the pressing unit 2 on the frame grill.

In operation, the cylinder 15 is mounted, with the piston 16 retracted by the spring 16a, in connection with a bar 1% which is adjacent but beyond the work, in such a position as to engage and press against the work at the desired point when the pressure block 20 is advanced the requisite distance, as shown for instance in FIG. 1.

Before such pressure can be exerted by the block 21' it is of course necessary to couple the hose 26 to one of the valve fittings 27. It may here be noted that a number of spaced fittings 27 are used, so that the hose 26 may be fairly short and hence not in the way or" operations no matter where the cylinder may be disposed on the frame grill. This feature also enables a number of the units 2 to be simultaneously used against the work if desired.

The unit 2 being thus connected up and in an operative position, air to advance the piston 16 and pressure block 20 may be admitted to the cylinder 15 by finger-depression of the valve 21 so that the adjacent ends of the work uprights and one of the rails thereof will be pressed into firm cemented engagement with each other.

When this operation is completed, the air may be exhausted from the cylinder 15 by releasing the valve 21 and depressing the valve 22, which will allow the spring 16a to function and retract the piston and pressure block from the work. The unit 2 may then be disengaged from the frame grill and mounted in another operative workengaging position, and if necessary the hose 26 is detached from the fitting 27 originally used and connected to another one of said fittings.

It should also be noted that though the claw 30 is here shown and described as being engaged with one of the bars 10, the claw notch 31 may also be engaged with any one of the horizontal straps 12 if it is desired to dispose the cylinder 15 in an upright position or parallel to the side members of frame 3. The cylinder 15 may then overlie one of the bars 10 if necessary; the cut-away portion 33 of the claw being of sufiicient width to clear said bar, the width of which is substantially the same as that of the straps 12, as shown.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A press for work, such work comprising a rectangu- .lar face-frame made up of a number of initially separate parts, the press including a supporting unit which comprises a grill adapted to support the work, rigid edge frame members for such grill in front of the same and disposed with the inner side faces of adjacent members at degrees to each other, the Work being adapted to be rested on the grill with the outer edges of adjacent parts thereof in engagement with said faces, a pressure device adjustably mounted on the grill and including an element arranged for pressing engagement with the outer edge of a face-frame part opposite that engageable with one of said frame members; the pressure device including a cylinder unit to actuate said element in a pressing direction by compressed air, the frame members being connected together and hollow and defining a continuous pressure-tight air chamber therein, means to maintain a supply of air under pressure within such chamber, and means to detachably connect the cylinder to the chamber at selectively different points in the extent thereof.

2. A press, as in claim 1, in which the last named means comprises a plurality of normally closed quick-coupling valve fittings connected to and projecting outwardly from the outer face of one of the frame members in spaced relation along the same and in communication with said chamber, and a flexible hose connected at one end to the cylinder and adapted at the other end for detachable coupling with any one at a time of said fittings.

3. In a work press which includes a grill adapted to support the work and a rigid frame member projecting forwardly from one edge of the grill and adapted for engagement by one side of the work, the grill comprising a plurality of spaced apart bars parallel to said frame member, a pressure device including a pair of members relatively movable in a direction transversely of the bars and one of which last named members is adapted for engagement with the side of the work opposite that engageable with said frame members, and means to detachabiy mount the pressure device on the grill, such means comprising a hook-like claw rigid with the other member of the device and facing away from the one member thereof, said claw being adapted to be projected through the space between adjacent bars for engagement with and under that one of such bars which is furthestfrom the work engaging member of the device and then maintaining the other member thereof seated on the grill, the spacing between the adjacent bars being greater than 5 the maximum width of the claw.

856,416 McLarty June 11, 1907 6 Breest et a1. Oct. 22, 1929 Lancaster Dec. 5, 1939 Vossbrinck Oct 11, 1955 Gummere et a1. Apr. 22, 1958 Yar'wood May 27, 1958 Carner Sept. 6, 1960 Benson Apr. 18, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 9, 947

Germany June 1, 1953 

1. A PRESS FOR WORK, SUCH WORK COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR FACE-FRAME MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF INITIALLY SEPARATE PARTS, THE PRESS INCLUDING A SUPPORTING UNIT WHICH COMPRISES A GRILL ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE WORK, RIGID EDGE FRAME MEMBERS FOR SUCH GRILL IN FRONT OF THE SAME AND DISPOSED WITH THE INNER SIDE FACES OF ADJACENT MEMBERS AT 90 DEGREES TO EACH OTHER, THE WORK BEING ADAPTED TO BE RESTED ON THE GRILL WITH THE OUTER EDGES OF ADJACENT PARTS THEREOF IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACES, A PRESSURE DEVICE ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON THE GRILL AND INCLUDING AN ELEMENT ARRANGED FOR PRESSING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER EDGE OF A FACE-FRAME PART OPPOSITE THAT ENGAGEABLE WITH ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS; THE PRESSURE DEVICE INCLUDING A CYLINDER UNIT TO ACTUATE SAID ELEMENT IN A PRESSING DIRECTION BY COMPRESSED AIR, THE FRAME MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER AND HOLLOW AND DEFINING A CONTINUOUS PRESSURE-TIGHT AIR CHAMBER THEREIN, MEANS TO MAINTAIN A SUPPLY OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE WITHIN SUCH CHAMBER, AND MEANS TO DETACHABLY CONNECT THE CYLINDER TO THE CHAMBER AT SELECTIVELY DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE EXTENT THEREOF. 